| BJP failed to select 543 candidates, depends upon film actors: Azad | | No Modi wave in country | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 24: Pointing out the Bharatiya Janta Party's (BJP) curiosity over roping in numerous actors and actresses to contest Lok Sabha elections on its party mandate, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad today said that "there is no Modi wave at all and instead it is self-created wave of BJP".
"Had there been Modi wave, the BJP should not have given mandate to Bollywood and regional film actors and actresses, Azad said while addressing a public rally in Bhour camp area of Jammu Cantonment Assembly segment, here amidst rains.
Taking a dig at BJP,Azad said, "look at the way BJP is showing disrespect to their party stalwarts like L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Jaswant Singh etc..., Despite being the fact that they are the founder members of BJP, the party has not given them mandate to contest the LS Polls.
Atleast, it can never happen in Congress party. And Congress is the only party, which respects all its members be it party's grass root level workers or senior leaders".
Azad who is also a contesting candidate from Doda-Udhampur Parliamentary seat, further challenged those claiming Modi wave and pointed out that "BJP is not in a position to select atleast 543 party candidates within the party-fold and it is only due to that BJP has selected number of film actors to woo the voters and mislead the people.
Recalling the history and contribution of Congress party much before the Independence, Azad said that "Congress has always served the people of the country on principles and not one the basis of religion, caste, colour or region. Even during the days of independence struggle, Congress had no nuclear weapons or big army. It had just and just secular force of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians, who jointly fought and attained freedom from British rule. He further claimed that Congress is the only secular party of country and it never compromised just to bag power".
Making a veiled attack on BJP, the former Chief Minister said, "there are certain parties, which play divisive politics to assume power be it of Chief Minister or Prime Minister. They divide countrymen in the name of religion and caste and after seeking their target of assuming power, they forget their duty towards serving the common man. Whereas the Congress is concerned, it always worked to strengthen the party whenever, it remained out of power and after coming back to power; it made efforts to provide roads, water supply and various other development related activities at the door steps of people." "And while doing so," Mr Azad pointed out, "Congress never identified party dominated pockets and instead it served the people no matter they had voted in favour of party or not."
Responding to issue of Refugees of 1947, 65 and 71 including that of PoK and West Pakistan, Azad highlighted that, "Only and only Congress is the party, which has studied the plight of refugees and further worked for a solution to end their miseries and woes". Recalling his tenure of Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Azad said that "when I was the Chief Minister, I came to know that the refugees are crying for basic amenities like electricity and drinking water supply. I was cited rules. But immediately passed directions to first provide them with the basic amenities and the rules and law could be discussed later".
Earlier, PCC president, Saif-ud-Din Soz, in his address criticized BJP for its communal line to woo the voters. He termed the BJP as the party of false promises. He said that whenever it is the election times, BJP rakes up old and wrong issues and when elections are over, it even forgets those who had voted in favour of it.
Minister for Horticulture and Culture, and MLA, Jammu Cantonment, Raman Bhalla and Congress candidate from Jammu-Poonch seat, Madan Lal Sharma also addressed the gathering and cautioned the people to remain vigilant from rival political parties who are trying to divide the people on religion lines. They highlighted the achievements of UPA-I, UPA-II and NC-Congress coalition government here in the state. They appealed the people to strengthen the secular forces of the country and defeat divisive forces.
Congress Legislators Indu Pawar, Ghulam Nabi Monga, party district urban president and former MLA, Om Chopra were among other leaders, present on the occasion. |
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